Year 1 under Dusty May at Michigan was an incredible success, especially considering the Wolverines had won just eight games the previous season. Michigan finished with an overall record of 27-10, won the Big Ten Tournament, and made a run to the Sweet 16.
Not only was it a remarkable season on its own, but it also reignited excitement and heightened expectations surrounding the Michigan basketball program. With May leading the way, the future looks bright in Ann Arbor and especially for the 2025-2026 season.
Despite losing their top three scorers from a season ago, the Wolverines reloaded through the transfer portal and now look like one of the top teams not just in the Big Ten, but in the entire country. Michigan had eight players leave, whether via graduation, the NBA Draft, or the transfer portal, including key contributors Danny Wolf, Vlad Goldin, and Tre Donaldson. In response, they brought in one of the best transfer portal classes in all of college basketball, headlined by one of the top players available in Yaxel Lendeborg.
Despite featuring several new faces, Dusty May has put together a group that is both experienced and deep. While this year’s team will look significantly different from last season’s, when most of the offense ran through the 7-footers Goldin and Wolf, this year’s group is definitely more talented.
After emerging as one of college basketball’s biggest surprise teams last season, it will be a different story this year, as the Wolverines will enter the season with high expectations as one of the top teams in all of college basketball.
Projected Starters
Point Guard - Elliot Cadeau (Jr.)
Elliot Cadeau steps in to fill the point guard role following Tre Donaldson’s departure. While Donaldson was much more of a scorer, Cadeau is a true facilitator who is great at creating for others with the ball in his hands.
He spent the past two years at North Carolina, where he started 68 games. Last season, he averaged 9.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists (15th in country) per game. Turnovers have been an issue though, as he averaged 3.1 per game, and that's an area Michigan struggled with at times last season as well. The Wolverines have had great success in recent years with transfers at the point guard position, and they’re hoping that Cadeau is the next in line.
Shooting Guard - Nimari Burnett (Gr.)
The veteran wing is back for his sixth college basketball season and third at Michigan. He has played in over 100 college games and started in all 69 games he’s appeared in for the Wolverines. Burnett brings great size, is a reliable three-point threat, and should be a veteran leader on this team.
Last year he averaged just under 10 points per game while shooting 40% from behind the arc. Over his two seasons at Michigan, he’s been very consistent in a 3 & D role, and you can expect more of the same this year.
Small Forward - Roddy Gayle Jr. (Sr.)
In his first year in Ann Arbor last season, the former Ohio State Buckeye was pretty inconsistent but overall a solid role player. He averaged 26 minutes per game, made 25 starts, and scored just under 10 points per game. Gayle is a strong defender that can guard multiple positions on the court, which is a huge asset.
Many may remember his incredible performance in the Round of 32 against Texas A&M, where he scored a season-high 26 points. That level of production will not be expected from him on this year’s team, but overall improvement is expected.
Power Forward - Yaxel Lendeborg (Gr.)
The Wolverines hit big when Yaxel Lendeborg decided to forgo the NBA Draft and return to college basketball to play for Michigan. As mentioned earlier, he was one of the top players in this past transfer portal class. Standing 6’9” 240 pounds, Lendeborg is a force that can score at all three levels and is also an elite defender.
He previously played at UAB, where he was a two-time All-American Conference First Team selection and a two-time conference Defensive Player of the Year. Last season, he averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. The Wolverines spent big money to bring in Lendeborg, and rightfully so, as he is expected to be this team’s premier player and one of the best in the Big Ten.
Center - Aday Mara (Jr.)
Aday Mara may be one of the most underrated additions from the transfer portal this offseason. The 7’3” big man saw limited playing time during his two seasons at UCLA, but when he was on the court, he was a major difference maker.
His role increased significantly in the second half of last season, during which he scored in double figures seven times and recorded 36 blocks over a span of 16 games. Dusty May has proven to be good at utilizing talented big men, and it will be exciting to see how he incorporates Mara.
Key Reserves
Morez Johnson Jr. (So.) - Forward
Morez Johnson Jr. is another key addition from Michigan’s transfer portal class. He comes from Illinois, where he appeared in 30 games last season, averaging 7 points and 6.7 rebounds. While he isn’t the tallest of bigs standing at 6’9”, he is a physical player down low that can control the paint and I would not be surprised to see him in the starting lineup at times this season.
L.J. Cason (So.) - Guard
In today’s era of college basketball, having a player like L.J. Cason return instead of entering the portal is huge. He was used sparingly last season but still got meaningful experience as a freshman. He was utilized more later in the year which shows both development and growing trust from Dusty May. Cason is the type of player who can come off the bench and provide a spark on both ends of the floor, which he showed the ability to do last season.
Trey McKenney (Fr.) - Guard
On a roster filled with experienced players, Trey McKenney is a freshman to be excited about who will likely have a meaningful role. The four-star recruit is the top prospect in Michigan’s incoming class and is known for his ability to score and create off the dribble. Having a scoring option like McKenney coming off the bench could be huge for the Wolverines, as that is something they definitely lacked last season.
Will Tschetter (Gr.) - Forward
Will Tschetter will once again be the glue guy for this team and is the exact type of player you want to stay with your program in today’s era of college sports. Entering his fifth season in Ann Arbor, he has appeared in 95 games with 14 starts. When it comes to Tschetter, you know what you’re going to get: he’ll come off the bench, make tough, gritty plays, provide energy, and every once in a while knock down some threes.
Schedule Outlook
Michigan’s non-conference schedule features several high-profile matchups to prepare the Wolverines for Big Ten play. In November, they’ll face two solid power conference opponents in Wake Forest and TCU before heading to Las Vegas for the Players Era Championship, where they’ll take on San Diego State and Auburn. The event also includes a third game, which is expected to be another marquee matchup with the event's loaded field.
Michigan will also host Villanova in early December and take on Duke for the first time since 2013 in Washington D.C. in late February. This year’s exhibition game for the Wolverines will also be one to watch, as they’ll play St. John’s on October 25th at Madison Square Garden.
Dates for Michigan’s Big Ten games have not yet been released, but their conference opponents include:
- Home/Away: Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State
- Home: Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Wisconsin
- Away: Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Northwestern, Oregon, Purdue, Washington
Michigan basketball season outlook
Dusty May certainly set the bar high in his first season at Michigan, and with the roster in place for this year, expectations are sky high for another strong showing. Odds currently have the Wolverines inside the top 10 in terms of the national championship, with Purdue being the only team from the Big Ten ahead of them.
The challenging non-conference schedule is exciting, especially after last year’s lighter slate, but with so many new faces expected to play significant roles, an early slip-up wouldn’t be surprising. If this group is able to come together and be as good as they look on paper, they can compete with anyone in the country and it should be another very successful season for Michigan basketball.